Does ALL pre-med coursework need to be completed before application?

[thebeatgoeson]

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I hear conflicting things on this and I couldn't find this question in the forum previously.

So, do you have to have ALL your premed coursework before you apply? Like in finishing all your required classes by the end of your junior year?

Or do some schools want you to finish the work by matriculation?
Does it hurt the applicant to not have those required course grades on the transcript?

I ask because I AP-d out of Bio and am going to take higher level courses with lab to fulfill my Bio requirements. Otherwise I have all the other standard ones.
Thanks

 

[kapil_MD]

i too would like to know this.

 

[gotmeds?]

No. But when you apply, make sure you include all your FUTURE coursework on your application. It saves you the hassle of notifying each school individually.

 

[kapil_MD]

No. But when you apply, make sure you include all your FUTURE coursework on your application. It saves you the hassle of notifying each school individually.

so wait, if you don't have all the pre-reqs done by end of junior year, they look at you based on what you've done so far? (ex. 1 semester ochem)

I thought you had to have everything done by end of junior year, I was stressing like mad😱

so if you dropped a pre-req putting you behind, it wouldn't make a big difference?
could someone elaborate on this.

 

[Falco2525]

so wait, if you don't have all the pre-reqs done by end of junior year, they look at you based on what you've done so far? (ex. 1 semester ochem)

I thought you had to have everything done by end of junior year, I was stressing like mad😱

could someone elaborate on this.

You need to have all coursework done before MATRICULATION not application...they prefer that you have most if not all done; however if you are missing a course or two as long as you have done well otherwise it will not be a problem...the more courses you have done the more they can understand about your ability to do well in the sciences...

 

[kapil_MD]

You need to have all coursework done before MATRICULATION not application...they prefer that you have most if not all done; however if you are missing a course or two as long as you have done well otherwise it will not be a problem...the more courses you have done the more they can understand about your ability to do well in the sciences...

thanks falco. I was wondering do you know if most applicants have all pre-reqs done by end of junior year? or is it preety common to be a bit behind.

 

[juice55]

most applicants I know have all their pre-reqs, because they wanted to take them before mcats. The only thing, I think is Bio, which some people have AP credit for. Since some schools don't accept AP Bio, and that would be something they may fulfill if they were accepted.

 

[Falco2525]

thanks falco. I was wondering do you know if most applicants have all pre-reqs done by end of junior year? or is it preety common to be a bit behind.

Most applicants tend to have all the science prereqs finished...it is typically okay if a person is missing a course in english or psychology if the school requires it...here is an example I was accepted to U Mn-TC but still need to complete a psychology course prior to matriculation...I think most medical schools want to see the 1 year of gen chem, 1 year of orgo, 2 years bio, and physics...physics tends to be the subject that some people apply with only 1 semester of...again the more courses that you have complete the better, but it is best to do well so if you have to finish 1 or 2 courses in your senior year its okay with a good MCAT score

 

[DoctorMom78]

It depends on the school.

 

[DoctorPardi]

My understanding is that school's require you to meet all pre-reqs before matriculation not before applying. For example, if you're applying your senior year you haven't me the bachelors degree pre-req, yet you're still applying with the assumption you will.

So if you still have some pre-reqs to go (cal, biochem etc) then applying previous to having those will not be a problem.

Note: biochem and calculus are kind of bad examples because only 12 and 16 schools respectively require them.

 

[mvenus929]

I remember one school that required all coursework required to be done before January of the year of Matriculation. Probably played some factor in the admissions process. Can't remember what school it was, though.

 

[Dr Durden]

I remember one school that required all coursework required to be done before January of the year of Matriculation. Probably played some factor in the admissions process. Can't remember what school it was, though.

I know that Vanderbilt requires everything to be completed by the end of the Fall semester of the application year. Otherwise, strive to get as many of the courses done prior to senior year as possible, but don't sweat it if you can't fit one or two in. However, I would recommend skipping humanities before sciences.

 

[lynn623la]

OP:

When are you going to take your MCAT, since MCAT is based on your prereq's. ??

 

[thebeatgoeson]

I'm taking the MCAT this spring of my junior year.

And freshmen biology is such a joke anyway. I've repeated all the information in my neuroscience classes... except for all those Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, yada yada things. Which I do need to study.

But thank you guys very much. I was a little worried that I'd have to take 2x upper level bio classes this spring with lab.


It was a bit of a goof when I received my advising materials to register for my freshmen year the summer prior. AP Bio credit used to count for the science-major bio, but the registrar switched it to count towards non-science-major bio without updating their website or advising materials. Oops.